FOR PEOPLE
AND PLANET
In harmony with the Dao,
The sky is clear and spacious,
The earth is solid and full,
All creatures flourish together
– Dao de Jing
WORKING WITH DAOISTS
Our relationship with Daoists goes back more than 30 years, thanks to our founder organisation, the Alliance of Religions and Conservation. In September 2023, Daoist leaders announced a major commitment to ethical investing, including the establishment of the first Daoist Investor Hub in 2024.
COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL INVESTING
Daoism (Daojiao 道教) is the indigenous religion of China and its profoundly ecological perspective has shaped Chinese life, culture and thought for more than 2,000 years. Now the Daoists have agreed to expand their work on protecting nature and supporting sustainability to include ethical investing. The recent 5th International Daoism Forum, held in Maoshan, China, in September 2023, announced three signficant new initiatives.
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A decision to focus on Daoist-consistent investing
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The announcement of a new network to connect followers of Daoism/Taoism across the world and liaise with international faith and secular organisations, the World Taoist Federation
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Support for the establishment of the first Daoist Investor Hub in Hong Kong in 2024 to guide followers on investing in line with Daoist values
'FaithInvest was founded to support faiths to invest in line with their values, and we're delighted to be able to support Daoism – followed by millions of people in China – to develop Daoist-consistent investing principles,'
– Dr Lorna Gold, FaithInvest CEO
DAOIST INVESTOR HUB
The Daoist Investor Hub will be established in Hong Kong in 2024 by the newly formed World Taoist Federation. Advice and support will be provided by the China Daoist Association, FaithInvest and the University of Hong Kong which will also house the Hub.
The Hub, formally known as the Daoist ESG/SDG Investor Hub, will develop resources and trainings to guide its followers on investing in line with Daoist values, as well as in line with ESG (environment, social, governance) principles and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
The idea for the Hub was prompted by affluent Daoists approaching the China Daoist Association for advice on how to use their wealth in line with traditional Chinese values. There are estimated to be significant numbers of Daoist millionaires in China, and several billionaires. According to Credit Suisse, the number of dollar-millionaires in China totalled 6.2 million individuals, ranking second after the US in the world.
Find out more in the video opposite by Ziwei Fan, a Daoist scholar-practitioner and Senior Assistant to the Special Advisor, World Taoist Federation.
I have Three Treasures, which I hold fast and watch over closely: The first is kindness, the second is simple living and the third is not to presume oneself to be the chief of the whole world.
– Dao de Jing, chapter 67
Launch of the World Taoist Federation
FaithInvest's Founding President Martin Palmer was a keynote speaker at the recent 5th International Daoism Forum, held in Maoshan, China, in September 2023. He welcomed the launch of the new World Taoist Federation as a significant development. He also delivered other remarks at the Forum, paying tribute to Daoism's ecological work to protect the environment and spoke of Daosim's unique role providing a new perspective on the climate crisis.
Martin Palmer's address to the 5th International Daosim Forum
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You can hear his address to the Forum, delivered online due to Covid, by clicking on the video opposite.
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Listen to his other comments by clicking the audio links below.
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And read our news story on the significance of Daoism's commitment to ethical investing.
Launch of the World Taoist Federation, Maoshan, China, September 2023
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